Washing machine



May s 1924.

i J. F. EVERETT l WASHING MACHINE Filed April 17 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @Il llxhillllllllllIIIIIIIIlllllliliill'llllllll|l|| Il HHH?lv May 6 ,51924. V l

" J. F. EVERETT WASHING MACHINE 2., zu t e Mm 1 ,Mv M 7.

filed April 17 1922 s sheets-sheet s J. F. EVERETT WASHING MACHINE Filed April '17.

III'I May 6, 1924.

17u/en ivf; Jamas E Patented May 6,v 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT. ori-Ica Y JAMES F. EVEBETT, 0F CHICAGG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-FIFTH T0 BERNARD E SCHMIDT, ONE-FIFTH TO GEORGE W.

FORD, ONE-FIFTH T0' CHARLES F. BURBOWS, DELIHANT, ALL 0F CHICAGC, ILLINOIS.

AND ONE-FIFTH VT0 WILLIAM T.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application mea april 17, 1922. serial no. am.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. Evnnn'rr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a specilication. Y

My invention relates to washing machines, and has for its principal object the provisionvof an improved construction of `this character which will be highly efficient in use, and economical in manufacture.

A further obiectvof the invention is the provision for reversing the clothes, so that each article will be caused to rub against the adjacent article, the provision-being accomplished without reversin the rotatable washing element, thereby dispensing -with the expense of installin an associating re. versing mechanism `wit the washing machine.

A furtherv object of the invention is the provision for spreading the clothes laterally with respect to each other, upon being reversed, to create a vfriction or rubbing effect therebetween, and through the action of such rubbing of the clothes, the'same can be washed in less time than is required in the washing machines which are now in A further object of the invention is the provision of a wholly sanitary washing machine, there being no angular corners or projections for the accumulation o the washing water, dirt or the like.

Other objects will appear hereinafter;

The invention consists inthe combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andclaimed. Y

The invention will rbebestunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a :frontA elevational view Vof al Washing machine embodying the invention,f

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the-same, Fig. 3 is a sectional detail Vview of the same takensubstantially on line- 3 3 of Fig. 1,

igr L` is a`fragmentary detail view of 4, but showing a slightly modified Sisting of parts 10` and 11 having lateral fianges12 through the medium of which said parts are secured together, the casing 10 being mounted on a suitable base 13, and fixedly secured thereto, by bolts 14, said base and said casing parts being illustrated as castings, hoWever,-any other 'approved' construction willbe suitalble for the p ur- Arranged within the casing A is awashing element B carrying trunnions 15 and 16 which are journalled through bearings 17 formed on the casing parts 10 and 11. Thewashing element B, which is globular in shape, is rotated through the medium of a power driven motor 18 carried by a suitable support 19 fixed to the casing part 10, said washing element being operatively connected to the motor 18 by a gear 19 carried on the 'trunnion 1-5 and which meshes with a gear 20 carried on the shaft 21 ofthe motor 18, the ratio of the gear 20 tothe gear 19 being about 2 to 16, and the number of revolutions per minute of the washing element is determined according toL the size of thev same, for` reasons which will be more fully hereinafter vs et lusv 'no I Ther'washing element B, aslilllus't'rated, is l in the form of a casting comprising parts 21 and 22 which are spot-welded together at 23, said washing elements being perforated interior thereof. Arranged in the washing element B and `secured thereto by any suit-` able meansare annular lateral ribs 24 aim -25, arranged substantially at right angles with respect to each other and w ich intel sectfat the axes of the trunnions 15 and 5,215

o5 for the admission of-washing fluid to the said trunnions being extended into the intericr of the washing element B and heving longitudinal ooves 26 for the reception of tongues 2 formed on the opposite ends ef the ribs 24 and 25. The function of the ribs 24'and 25 is 'such that when the washing element'B is rotated, each one of the in turn, will serve to force the clothes in the direction of the rotation of the washing element, lto the tcplmost position thereof, and permit the clot es to drop te the lowermost position thereof to be again forced to such topmost positionv by the rib which iiappens to be in the lowermost position. By this arrangement, asvthe washing element B rotates, each rib performs' its individual function, through which function the clothes within the washing ele- -ment are constantly reversed, said function bein accomplished, as will be readily underst without reversing the washing element, as has been heretofore the case.

As stated, the gears 19 and 20 are of a ratio 2 to 16, and the number of revolutions the washing element is capable of making depends largely upon the size of the same, this arrangement being such that the revolution of the washing element will not be too greet so as to cause the clothes, by centrifugal force, to continue with the rotation of the washing element. The number of revolutions of the washing element is predetermined, and in the size of a washing machine, as illustrated in the drawings, for convenience sake, it mi ht be well to mention that the washin e ement is capable of making approximate y 39 revolutions per minute, said washing element in this instance being about 326 inches in diameter; the number of revolutions and the diameter of the washing element var according tc the size desired. This num er of revolutions made by the washing element will not cause the clothes to completely rotate with the same, but will permit the clothes when the saine reach the topmost point of the washing element, to drop to the lower position thereof, where the rib in such position, will force the clothes through a distance equal toepproximately one-half a complete revolution of the washing element, said lowermost and uppermost ositions of said washing element being in icated for convenience sake, at 28 and 29 respectively.

While the function of the ribs is such that they will carry the clothes through a distance equal to approximately one-half a complete revolution of the washing element, thety also serve to cause the clothes to create a riction or rubbing effect between each other when the clothes drop from the pc-sition 28 to the position 29.

In addition to the ciothes reversing means I also provide additional means for spreading the clothes laterally to create a object of the clothes spreader 30 is such that as the clothes are dropped from the position 28 the clothes will fall over and on opposite sides of the spreader, thereby'being caused 'to spread laterally, creating a friction or rubbing eii'ect between the clothes, spreading the clothes to such an extent as to permit the washing fluid, held therebetween, to escape. f

' T he washing element B and thecasing A are each provided with an opening 32 and 33 respectively, through which .the clothes are discharged into the washing element, said o eningsbein closed by doors 34 and 35 which are slida ly mounted in recessed` guide members 36 and 37. The doors when in closed position are locked together by a suitable latch 38, and can be rovided with windows, so that one will be aliale to observe the washing element when in operation.

Referrin to the construction illustrated in Fig. 6 w ich is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3 with the exception that the rib members 24 and 25 are concaved or recessed on one side as at 30.l rlhe purpose of this construction isto afford a better engaging surface ,for the rib members when the same come in contact with the clothes.

In operation the washing fluid is admitted intethe casing A by any suitable means. The amount of washing iuid admitted into the casing A largely depends upon the proportion o-f clothes carried in the washlng element B, said washing Huid being of a mixture which is ordinarily used 1n most washing machines of this type. After the clothes have been arranged in the washing element B and the proper amount of water admitted into the casing A, the washing element is caused tov rotate by the power-driven motor 13. The number of revolutions which the washing element is capable of making is predeterminedand varies according to the size of the same. "As the washing element rotates, the clothes are forced from the position 29 through 'the medium of -one of the libs 9A and 25, to the position at '28 where the clothes, through the medium .of their own weight, are caused to drop down to the osition 29, where they are again forced ack to position 28, this operation being repeated until the clothesv areproperly washede It will be notedY that the vclothes onl travel a distance equal to one-half a complete rev-l elution of the washing element, and each time that the clothes are dropped from position 28 to position 29, the clothes are reversed, and as the same strike the spreader 30, the. same fall on the top and opposite sides thereof, and are caused to spread laterally, creating a friction or rubbing effect therebetween. The rotation of the washing element B is continued in one direction, until the clothes are properly washed, at which time the washing fluid is discharged through a discharge pipe 39 controlled by a valve 40.

By the construction of a washing machine as herein set forth, I dispense with the necessity of applying. reversing mechanism for reversing-the washing element of the machine. It will be observed that the ribs 24 and 25 are widely separated and pronounced so that as the washing element revolves these ribs form continuous elevating shelves or ledges upon which the clothes may rest and thus be carried upwardl out of the washing Huid. Owing to the globular shape of the washing chamber the clothes lying on these ribs are `in curved condition, the central portions thereof being farthest from the axis of rotation and the ends approachingthe axis of rotation. Obviously the centrifugal force varies with the distance from the axis of rotation because the peripheral -speed varies with this distance. Therefore the central portions of the clothes are subjected to greater centrifugal force than the side portions. The clothes are also affected by gravity, but uniformly, the central portions being affected by gravity the same as the side portions. Thus as the clothes lying upon the carrying ribs reach their uppermost itions and the forward sides of the carrying ribs become vertical or substantially so, gravityirst withdraws the ends of the clothes from the carrying ribs and these ends hanging downwardly in the washing chamber tend to assist in withdrawing the remainder of the clothes to overcome the effect of the centrifugal force. Owing to this peculiarity in the effect of the two forces o erating on the clothes, it is obvious, that Iby means of the arran ement disclosed, the washing chamber may e operated at a relatively high speed and continuously in one direction, but nevertheless pick up the clothes and drop them from the point of their 'greatest elevation. This has the effect of thoroughly agitating and rubbing the clothes without rolling and tangling the same into one solid mass. Thus the clothes will be thoroughly and quickly cleaned and may be readily removed from the washing chamber. My improved washing machine which is lobular in shape, will not only be economica in manufacture, but will be wholly sanitary, there being no angular corners or places where the washing'- fluid can accumulate.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention i'nto effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departmeans for rotating said element constantly in one direction; and pronounced, widely separated carrying ribs arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation of said washing element and having their ends located adjacent the axis of rotal tion and extending thence around the inner periphery of said washing element, the ends of said ribs being located comparatively close to and the central portions thereof remote from the axis of rotation, substantially as described.

2. A. washing machine comprising a cas-l ing; a globular washing element mounted to rotate in said casing; means 'for rotating said element constantly in one direction; and pronounced, widely separated, carrying ribs extending alongthe inner periphery of said washing element and arranged to carry the yclothes upwardly and then drop them, the forward sides of said carrying ribs being recessed, substantiall as described.

3. A washing mac ine comprising a casing; a globular washing element mounted to rotate in said casing; means for rotating said element constantly in one direction;. pronounced, widely separated, carrying ribs extending along the inner periphery of said washing element and arranged to carry the clothesupwardly and then drop them; and a central spreader rib substantially per endicular to said carrying ribs, substantially as described.

4. A washing machine comprising a casing; a globular washing' element mounted to rotate in said casing; means for rotating said element constantly in one direction; pronounced, widely separated, carryin ribs extending along the inner peri hery o said washing element and arrange to carry the clothes upwardly and then drop them, the forward sides of said carrying ribs being recessed; and a centralspreader rib substantially perpendicular to said carrying ribs,

substantially as described.

5. A washing'machine comprising a globular casing a washing element arranged 1n said casing in spaced relation with respect'thereto; trunnions carried on said washing element and journalled through bearings carried by said casing; annular lateral ribs arranged in said washing element adapted t0 force clothes to be washed through a half revolution 'of said element and then permit said clothes to drop to the bottom thereof; and an annular rib intersecting said clothes forcing ribs for spreading the clothes laterally upon being dropped to the bottom of said washing clement, substantially as described.

6.A In a washing machine, the combination with a globular casing,'of a globular perforated washing element rotatably mounted in said casing; means arr'an ed in said washing element for reversing c othes carried in said element upon the completion of every halfrevolution thereof; and an annular lateral rib arranged in said casing for spreading said 4clothes on opposite sides thereof, substantially as described.

7. In a Washing machine, the combination with a base, of a globular casing carried by said base, said casing comprising parts fixedly secured together; a washing element arranged in said casing, there being perforations formed in the walls of'said washing element; means for rotating said washing element; laterally extending annular ribs arranged in said washing element substantially at right angles with respect to each other for forcing clothes carried in said element through a half revolution thereof; and an annular lateral rib intersecting said clothes forcing ribs for creating the friction or rubbing effect between the clothes at the end of said half revolution of said washing element, substantially as described.

8. A washing machine comprising a washing chamber substantially globular in form and mounted to rotate upon a substantially horizontal axis; ribs on the inner walls of said washing chamber arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation thereof; and a spreader rib substantially at the center of the inner wall of said chamber perpendicular to said first mentioned ribs, substantially as described.

9. A washing machine comprising a washing chamber substantially globular in form and mounted to rotate upon a substanti lly horizontal axis; ribs on the inner walls of said washing .chamber arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation thereof; a spreader rib substantially at the center of the inner wall of said chamber perpendicular to said first-mentioned ribs; and a casing enclosing said washing chamber, the walls of said washing chamber being foraminated,rsubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. EVERETT.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. I-LPO'ITS, FREDA C. APPLETON. 

